Abstract
Background: Little is known about the specialized treatment journeys of youth with pain-related disability and their parents.
Aims: Describe and compare the treatment effects and outcomes as perceived by youth and their parents enrolled in intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT) or multimodal treatment (MMT).
Methods: Eleven IIPT youth and five parents and three MMT youth and five parents were recruited. All were asked to complete a treatment journey timeline, followed by separately conducted semi-structured interviews. Transcribed interviews were analysed using reflective thematic analysis.
Results: The main themes spanned the treatment trajectory. All participants described similar initial struggles (Theme 1). Positive and negative treatment effects associated with the acquisitions and disruptions (Theme 2), and outcomes related to supports and realities post-discharge (Theme 3) emerged. Knowledge, skills and support acquisition during treatment and feeling empowered and confident to self-managed post-discharge were identified as IIPT benefits. However, the change effort and life disruptions required, and the difficulty transitioning to real life post-program were acknowledged as detrimental IIPT impacts. Continuing with life as usual, and maintaining supports in daily contexts (e.g., school personnel, friends) were reported MMT benefits. However, the challenges of managing pain, treatment adherence within the competing demands of daily realities, and the lack of support to integrate strategies were emphasized as detrimental MMT impacts.
Conclusions: Detailed impacts of two specialized multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation interventions on the lives of youth with pain-related disability and their parents were described. The treatments benefits and previously unexplored detrimental effects were unveiled.
Aims: Describe and compare the treatment effects and outcomes as perceived by youth and their parents enrolled in intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT) or multimodal treatment (MMT).
Methods: Eleven IIPT youth and five parents and three MMT youth and five parents were recruited. All were asked to complete a treatment journey timeline, followed by separately conducted semi-structured interviews. Transcribed interviews were analysed using reflective thematic analysis.
Results: The main themes spanned the treatment trajectory. All participants described similar initial struggles (Theme 1). Positive and negative treatment effects associated with the acquisitions and disruptions (Theme 2), and outcomes related to supports and realities post-discharge (Theme 3) emerged. Knowledge, skills and support acquisition during treatment and feeling empowered and confident to self-managed post-discharge were identified as IIPT benefits. However, the change effort and life disruptions required, and the difficulty transitioning to real life post-program were acknowledged as detrimental IIPT impacts. Continuing with life as usual, and maintaining supports in daily contexts (e.g., school personnel, friends) were reported MMT benefits. However, the challenges of managing pain, treatment adherence within the competing demands of daily realities, and the lack of support to integrate strategies were emphasized as detrimental MMT impacts.
Conclusions: Detailed impacts of two specialized multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation interventions on the lives of youth with pain-related disability and their parents were described. The treatments benefits and previously unexplored detrimental effects were unveiled.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-21 |
| Number of pages | 21 |
| Journal | Canadian Journal of Pain |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 3 Feb 2021 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 31 Dec 2021 |
Funding
The authors thank the parents and children who participated in this study and thank the advisory committee for their guidance. We also extend our gratitude to the Vi Riddell Pediatric Pain Initiative, the Alberta Children?s Hospital Foundation, and the management team of the Vi Riddell Children?s Pain and Rehabilitation Centre at the Alberta Children?s Hospital for their support of this project. Karen Hurtubise was a doctoral student supported by the Vanier Scholarship and the Canadian Child Health Clinical Scientist and the Pain in Child Health programs at the time this article was written. All other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.